Method of providing and processing a plurality of stored-value cards

A method of providing and processing a plurality of financial transaction cards, the method comprising:

• providing a financial transaction card assembly including the plurality of financial transaction cards and a package, wherein:
• the plurality of financial transaction cards includes a first financial transaction card and a last financial transaction card,
• each of the plurality of financial transaction cards corresponds with a different bar code linking the corresponding one of the plurality of financial transaction cards to a different one of a plurality of financial accounts or records,
• each of the financial transaction cards is printed with the different bar code corresponding thereto,
• the different bar codes are a sequential range of different bar codes, the package substantially encloses all of the plurality of financial transaction cards, and
• the different bar code corresponding with the first financial transaction card and the different bar code corresponding with the last financial transaction card collectively indicate boundaries of the sequential range of different bar codes;
• using a register, configured to process a retail sale, to scan the different bar code corresponding with the first financial transaction card;
• and
• using the register to scan the different bar code corresponding with the last financial transaction card after reading the different bar code corresponding with the first financial transaction card, wherein the package indicates which of the different bar code of the first financial transaction card and the different bar code of the last financial transaction card should be read by the register first.

A method of providing and processing a plurality of stored-value cards, the method comprising:

• providing a stored-value card assembly including the plurality of stored-value cards maintained in a housing, the plurality of stored-value cards including a first stored-value card and a last stored-value card, wherein:
• each of the plurality of stored-value cards is associated with a different account identifier linking each respective one of the plurality of stored-value cards to a different financial record or account,
• the different account identifiers of the plurality of stored-value cards collectively define a series of account identifiers bounded by the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card and the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card, and
• only the different account identifier of the first stored-value card and the different account identifier of the last stored-value card of the series of account identifiers are provided in a manner unobscured by the housing;
• scanning the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card using a point-of-sale terminal to enter the different account identifier of the first stored-value card into the point-of-sale terminal;
• scanning the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card using the point-of-sale terminal to enter the different account identifier of the last stored-value card into the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the housing indicates which of the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card and the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card should be scanned first;
• and
• identifying the series of account identifiers based on the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card and the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card entered into the point-of-sale terminal and characterized by an absence of scanning other ones of the different account identifiers using the point-of-sale terminal;
• and
• activating each of the different financial records or accounts linked to the plurality of stored-value cards based on the identified series of account identifiers, wherein each of the plurality of stored-value cards are configured for use toward a purchase price only after activating each of the different financial records or accounts;
• wherein the plurality of stored-value cards includes at least three stored-value cards, and the method is characterized by reading only the different account identifier associated with the first stored-value card and the different account identifier associated with the last stored-value card of the series of account identifiers prior to activating the plurality of stored-value cards.